- Third-to-last ADAC GT Masters weekend of the season at Lausitzring
- Mercedes-Benz and Corvette separated by one solitary point in championship standings
- Local drivers Rehfeld and Seifert with guest start in Lamborghini Gallardo
The ADAC GT Masters enters a decisive phase at the Lausitzring (30th August-1st September) as the third-to-last race weekend of the season gets under way. Drivers must secure plenty of points in the two races in Brandenburg if they are to have a realistic chance of clinching the title in the Super Sports Car League. The Lausitzring races are sure to be action-packed and exciting, as ADAC GT Masters drivers will be utilising the 3.442km sprint version of the Lausitzring this year.
Key facts, Lausitzring, Klettwitz, races eleven and twelve
Track length: 3.442km (short configuration)
Layout: 7 left-hand turns, 4 right-handers, racing in anti-clockwise direction
Last year’s winners, Race 1: Christian Engelhart/Nick Tandy (Team Geyer & Weinig EDV, Schütz Motorsport, Porsche 911)
Last year’s winners, Race 2: Christian Engelhart/Nick Tandy (Team Geyer & Weinig EDV, Schütz Motorsport, Porsche 911)
ADAC GT Masters on TV: see attachment for TV broadcasting schedule from Lausitzring
The Dream Sports Car League is heading for an exciting scorcher of a finale. The ADAC GT Masters will arrive at the Lausitzring after delivering one of the most exciting finishes in the history of the series. In Austria, just 0.2 seconds separated the winners, Maximilian Buhk (20, Germany) and Maximilian Götz (27, Germany / Polarweiss Racing) in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG from the runners-up, Diego Alessi (41, Italy) and Daniel Keilwitz (24, Germany / Callaway Competition) in the Corvette Z06.
Mercedes-Benz and Corvette separated by one point at top of championship standings
The situation at the top of the table is virtually unparalleled as the tension mounts, since teams fielding Mercedes-Benz, Corvette, Porsche and Audi are separated by only ten points. After ten races, Mercedes-Benz duo Buhk/Götz are just one point ahead of Alessi/Keilwitz, who secured a rare double win in the ADAC GT Masters last time out, winning both races at the Red Bull Ring. Buhk, the youngest driver in the Super Sport Car League feels very upbeat as he travels to the Lausitzring: “So far, we’ve been competitive at every track. I assume that it won’t be any different in the Lausitzring races.” ADAC GT Masters championship defender Götz is battle-hardened in the fight for the title but finds himself at the top of the rankings for the first time this season: “Even better than topping the rankings in the middle of the season would be to head the table after the finale at Hockenheim. The next few races will be very tough. I reckon that the top ten in the table are all in with a chance of lifting the title.”
Porsche, Audi, BMW and Ford in hot pursuit
Robert Renauer (28, Germany) together with Martin Ragginger (25, Austria / Tonino by Herberth Motorsport) are also hoping to seize the main chance at the Lausitzring in the Porsche 911 and aim to finish back on the podium for the first time since the start of the season. Turning in a consistent performance, Porsche driver Renauer has worked his way up into third position in the standings. Renauer: “The Lausitzring probably suits the Porsche best of the three circuits that follow. I hope that we can continue to secure points as consistently as before.”
Renauer, placed third in the table, and René Rast (26, Germany) and Christopher Mies (24, Germany / Prosperia C Abt Racing), who have won two races this season were all consistently in the points last time out. Rast/Mies are fourth in the standings in the best-placed Audi R8. So far, BMW and Ford are still without a win at the Lausitzring. With two good finishes at the Lausitzring, the two BMW teams with Claudia Hürtgen (41, Germany) / Dominik Baumann (20, Austria / PIXUM Team Schubert) and Simon Knap (24, Netherlands) / Jeroen den Boer (25, Netherlands, DB Motorsport) intend to move up the standings in the Z4, as do the Ford GT duo of Frank Kechele (26, Germany) / Dominik Schwager (36, Germany / Lambda Performance).
Local drivers to attack in Lamborghini Gallardo
Two locals will also be in the ADAC GT Masters line-up in Brandenburg. Berlin-based Roland Rehfeld (36, Germany) is back in the ADAC GT Masters for the first time since 2010 and will share a Lamborghini Gallardo with Carsten Seifert (32) from Dresden, who has regularly competed in his home race in the ADAC GT Masters. The two will drive for Team rhino’s Leipert Motorsport, who return to the ADAC GT Masters with the Lamborghini Gallardo after a two-race break.
Porsche duel in Gentlemen class
It’s Porsche versus Corvette in the Gentlemen standings. After his fourth win of the season in Austria, René Bourdeaux (38, Germany / Tonino by Herberth Motorsport), fielding a Porsche 911, has taken back the lead in the Gentlemen class from fellow Porsche driver Christina Nielsen (21, Denmark / Farnbacher Racing). Remo Lips (31, Switzerland / Callaway Competition), aided by ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Lennart Marioneck (24, Germany) is placed third in the Gentlemen standings and within easy striking distance.